Trump, Putin and Xi to Decide Ukraine’s Fate — Without Ukraine

Moscow is pushing for a summit between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine — without Kyiv or the European Union at the table. Russia’s proposal would put three of the world’s most powerful leaders in one room to settle the conflict. Ukraine and the EU would be excluded from the talks. The Kremlin hopes the format gives it a direct line to Washington and Beijing, bypassing the countries and institutions that have backed Ukraine. Moscow has long argued that Western involvement has prolonged the war. For China, the calculation is different. Beijing has stayed officially neutral while deepening ties with Moscow. Joining such a summit could raise China’s global profile and give Xi a seat at the table on European security — a role Beijing has sought for years. But the proposal raises hard questions. Can a war be ended without the country that is fighting it? And would Trump, who has promised to end the conflict quickly, accept a deal shaped in part by Moscow? None of the three governments has confirmed the plan. For now, it remains a proposal — but one that signals how far Russia will go to reset the terms of the war.